Steering getting hard

[gwbronco]

Steering cable at the rudder end sits low in the hull of your boat. They are pretty vulnerable to pulling moisture in over time. Time to replace your steering cable. I had to do it on my 03' SSV at the start of the summer. Should be able to find a replacement cable online around $150.00. I think access is pretty good on the DD.

Do you have a part number for the cable you used. I just picked up a 2004 SSV and the cable needs to be replaced. Any info would be great thanks.

[Patrick56]

1-SSC15420 TELEFLEX SSC15420 HPS R&P BACKMOUNT TFXTREME 20' $134.89 x 1

I ordered last year from Lowcostboatingstore.com Perfect match, and works great. I do think there is a stainless steel option out there at a pretty good cost increase. I figure the 1st one lasted almost 10 years, so I would stick with the stock item.

Hope this helps, sorry for the slow response. I haven't been on the forum in awhile.

[claysimmons]

IMAG0051.jpgThe steering cable has a long rod attached to the end connected to the rudder. How did you manage to feed that through the access hole under the dash? Picture of my access hole and steering cable is attached. I don't see how it's possible to pull that shaft/nut end up through such a tight area. I can see it working hack sawing this end off, but then how will the new one fit through there? There seems to be too many wires and hoses to accommodate the space required to fish that rod end of the steering cable through.

[trayson]

There is a zerk on the rudder (which I only discovered after rebuilding it last year. I went ~10 years without greasing it once!) If your steer is stiff, it's probably too late. The grease packing isn't as much for lubrication as it is for sealing and keeping the seals dirt/dust free.

Steering cable isn't too hard to replace, but I'd replace the helm at the same time. It's not much more to buy the "kit" and then you know that almost everything is new once you are done. The kit that I did came with good instructions.

Does my rudder have a grease fitting??? If so, where would I find it?

[inair]

Trayson, there are a number of different rudder assemblies that SC used on these boats over the years. Some had/have a grease fitting and some don't. Your boat is one year newer than mine but appears to have the same unit that mine did. You can see from the parts that there is no grease fitting there. The assembly that I ordered from SC to replace the one in the picture has no Zerk fitting either. Instead it has a nylon sleeve over the portion of the shaft that fits inside the fitting that is attached to the hull.